It is well known that in cases of restricted (impaired) mobility the bearing surfaces of the soles of the feet are not exposed to the effect of normal walking when these surfaces, the Achilles tendon and other structures taking part in the movement are stimulated at regular intervals concurrently with the rhythm of walking.
Lack of stimulant for mechanoreceptors leads to problems in static and kinetic control.
There is known a method of keeping or simulating orthostatic balance in cases of restricted (impaired) locomotion according whereto the body of a man is linked to a supporting means by a resilient link and exposed to inertial shock loads of short duration applied along the body's longitudinal axis so as to overcome the elastic forces of the link (cf. USSR Inventor's Certificate No. 256164, IPC A 61 H 1/00, Bulletin "Discoveries, Inventions, Industrial Designs and Trade Marks" No. 25, 1976; Inventors: V. V. Bazhanov, A. V. Eremin, V. I. Stepanov, L. P. Salmanov and V. A. Titler).
Also known is a walking-simulating apparatus for persons suffering from restricted mobility of various degree consisting of two platforms which give support to the feet and are provided with vibrators located so as to exert their action on the bearing surfaces of both soles. The platforms are attached to the feet by some sort of binding. The apparatus is provided with a programmed means of sequential control of the vibrators triggered in accordance with human walking pattern (Journal of neuropathology and psychiatry named after S. S. Korsakov, issue 8, Moscow, Meditsina Publishers, 1982 (in Russian) pp. 26-29 (1146-1149), "Application of vibro-stimulating footwear in complex treatment of postinsult patients" by I. V. Manekchina, A. S. Mirkin, L. G. Turbina, A. N. Vavilin, V. P. Ivannikov, L. A. Ivannikova, T. S. Ionova, V. K. Belokudrin).
The known apparatus lacks a means of accurately positioning the vibrators next to the bearing surfaces of the feet nd is incapable of stimulating the Achilles tendon. The stimulation of the bearing surfaces of the feet is poor, and the remedial effect of the apparatus is low.
Moreover, the soles are sites of numerous nerve endings and a misplaced vibrator can be an evil rather than asset, causing damage to organs.